Saleh al-Arouri

The temperature is soaring. The already incendiary region of the Near Middle East is one step closer to the danger of a broader escalation after the assassination of Hamas’ top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran early this morning.

A high-ranking Israeli delegation has arrived in Cairo to negotiate the release of hostages held by Hamas, an Egyptian source confirmed to Al-Araby Al-Jadid newspaper. Indirect talks are back on track after the assassination of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri last week.

The international community must impose a solution to the Israel-Hamas conflict as the warring sides are unable to come to terms, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Wednesday.

After the death of Hamas deputy chief Salah al-Arouri in an alleged Israeli strike, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned Israel against waging war on Lebanon and said that the killing "will not go unanswered and unpunished," The Times of Israel reported.

Saleh al-Arouri, deputy leader of Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, returned to Gaza on Aug. 3 after eight years of exile.

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon has condemned Turkey for "hosting members of Palestinian faction Hamas despite being a NATO member."

"It's unbelievable that NATO would allow a terror organization to host a headquarters in its territory," Ya'alon said during a meeting with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Morenés in Tel Aviv on Dec. 2.